India experiences second-most hottest season from June-August since 1970: Report

Climate Central's latest seasonal analysis for June to August 2024 reveals alarming effects of human-induced climate change on global temperatures, with a particular emphasis on India. The report utilises temperature anomalies and the Climate Shift Index (CSI) to highlight climate change's significant role in elevating regional temperatures.

During this three-month period, India recorded its second-hottest season since satellite data tracking began in 1970. The analysis indicates that, for 29 days, temperatures were at least three times more likely to spike due to climate change.

Approximately 20.5 million Indians experienced temperatures impacted by climate change for a minimum of 60 days, as indicated by a CSI score of 5, reinforcing India's heightened vulnerability to extreme heat relative to other countries in South Asia.

Among India's 1.38 billion residents, around 426 million—almost one-third of the population—were subjected to dangerously high temperatures for at least seven days, with these figures exceeding 90 percent of local temperature records based on the 1991-2020 baseline. Notably, over 112 million people endured heatwaves lasting more than a month, raising significant public health alarm.

Major cities across India bore the brunt of climate change-driven heatwaves. Urban areas such as Thiruvananthapuram, Vasai-Virar, Kavaratti, Thane, Mumbai, and Port Blair reported over 70 days where temperatures were three times more likely to be influenced by climate change.

Mumbai alone faced 54 extreme heat days, while cities like Kanpur and Delhi experienced temperatures exceeding 39°C over extended periods, with climate change making such extremes four times more probable.

The report also defines the Climate Shift Index (CSI), a metric designed to quantify the influence of climate change on daily temperatures. A CSI score ranging from 1 to 5 indicates the probability that a given day's temperatures have risen due to human-induced climate changes.

For instance, a score of 2 suggests that the day's temperature is twice as likely under current climate conditions compared to a world unaffected by human influences. This index serves as a critical tool for assessing the local and global ramifications of climate change on heat levels.